As time passed, his father's case was overturned, and he was reinstated to his former position, which was nearly equivalent to Father Bai's.
He remained a young prodigy, having passed the Xiucai exam at the age of eleven or twelve, and was already a Juren at a young age. It was then that Bai Shuxue slowly began to reconnect with him.
After her true identity was revealed, she couldn't help but think about marriage. A family that was even slightly discerning would not marry someone like her; she was too low. Yet, she also disdained those of lower status. The image of Huang Xuefeng immediately came to mind. Perhaps she could hold onto him tightly.
When he wrote to her saying he was returning, Bai Shuxue decided that she had to meet him, no matter what, and cultivate their relationship properly.
The day before yesterday, Bai Shuxue meticulously dressed up and met him. One was willing, and the other was inclined; they talked joyfully, as if they had known each other for a lifetime.
Meeting again today, they were coincidentally spotted by Wu Caiwei.
"I have an older sister who isn't engaged yet. Besides, this matter is decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers; how can it be decided by you and me?" Bai Shuxue said with a hint of disappointment.
"We can get engaged first. As long as we become fiancés, we can interact openly. You don't need to worry about my side; my parents know about your existence, and they strongly approve of this marriage. They are only afraid your parents won't agree," Huang Xuefeng replied without hesitation.
"As for my side, I will try my best to persuade my parents. The rest will depend on your sincerity," Bai Shuxue said somewhat shyly. Although she desperately wanted to push this marriage forward, fearing that delays might bring trouble, her years of upbringing told her that acting this way was not modest.
Huang Xuefeng understood her thoughts and repeatedly assured her that he would have his parents come to propose upon their return. Only then did they reluctantly part ways.
Watching the two figures slowly disappear from her sight, Wu Caiwei emerged from the shadows with Qiu Yan. She wondered what mindset Bai Shuxue had in that past life that she would persuade Madam Bai to marry Bai Yulan to Huang Xuefeng.
She remembered that in her previous life, Bai Shuxue became the wife of the Zhenguo General. The timing was roughly around now. The reason she remembered so clearly was that originally, Bai Tianpeng had intended to announce her as the eldest daughter of the Bai family. However, after this incident, they announced that the two of them were twins, and Bai Yulan was simply frail and had been sent to be raised elsewhere.
If things had gone according to plan, an imperial decree would have arrived at the Bai residence soon. She wondered which unfortunate soul would ultimately marry Huang Xuefeng. Although Huang Xuefeng was not a bad person, he was somewhat blind to reality. Since he had already married someone else, he should be responsible for her, not dwell on someone he could never have.
However, the thought that he would be heartbroken and disappointed in a short while brought her quite a bit of satisfaction. The original owner had experienced countless heartbreaks and despair because of him. If only he had paid a little more attention to the original owner, she wouldn't have died of sorrow and despair.
Just as she had anticipated, the imperial decree arrived from the palace within two days, and its content was the same as in her previous life. Hearing the decree, Bai Shuxue was overjoyed.
The crisis that had been lingering in her heart for some time was finally about to be resolved. She had heard her mother mention that her father was determined to announce their true identities. With the Emperor's decree, it was equivalent to adding an indestructible layer of protection for her, as the Emperor's face had to be respected.
Fortunately, only a few people knew the true identities of Wu Caiwei and Bai Shuxue. Thus, Wu Caiwei never saw those familiar faces again.
It wasn't that Wu Caiwei didn't want to plead for them, but the mindset of people in ancient times differed from modern times. Bai Tianpeng had no choice but to comply. After all, the imperial decree had been issued. Was he supposed to tell the Emperor that this daughter was fake and cause the Emperor to lose face? Furthermore, all the civil and military officials knew that the future Zhenguo General's wife would come from the Bai family. Was he going to let the world know about such a huge blunder?
The princes had grown up and begun forming factions. The Zhenguo General was a border commander who controlled three hundred thousand troops. No matter who became Emperor, they would treat him with respect. Marrying someone like him was undoubtedly advantageous, and Old Master Bai was unwilling to part with such a son-in-law.
With such a good marriage prospect, Bai Shuxue wanted to avenge herself in front of Bai Yulan. She said with feigned embarrassment, "Sister, I am truly sorry. I am getting engaged before you. Who knew the Emperor himself would personally name me to become the Zhenguo General's wife? That is a夫人 of the highest rank."
Originally, Wu Caiwei didn't want to bother with her, but since the other party had come to her door, it would be unreasonable not to retort.
"The marriage is good, but Sister, you should still be careful. A few days ago, when I went out, I happened to see you with the young master of the Huang family. The way you were acting ambiguously was definitely not that of strangers. I also heard that you receive a letter from the South almost every month. It seems the young master Huang lives in the South. What do you think would happen if this matter were to be known?" Wu Caiwei said, looking at her with ill intentions.
Upon hearing this, Bai Shuxue's expression changed immediately, and she threatened, "I advise Sister to mind your own business. Some things can be said, and some things cannot. My marriage is not just my own affair, but the affair of the entire Bai family. Who asked the Emperor to personally bestow this marriage upon me?"
"As long as you don't provoke me, I won't cross you. Next time you see me, remember to go the long way around and don't deliberately provoke me again. No matter how well you marry, it has nothing to do with me." Although Bai Shuxue was triumphant now, she remembered that in her previous life, her marriage to the Zhenguo General's mansion had not been a pleasant experience. It seemed the general already had someone he liked but was forced to take a wife by the Emperor.
Watching Bai Yulan leave in a huff, Bai Shuxue stamped her feet on the ground in anger and said hatefully, "Bai Yulan, this is not over between us."
After much observation over these days, Wu Caiwei decided to start by opening a restaurant in this life.
When Bai老爷 first learned that his daughter had opened the Qingpeng Tower, he didn't take it seriously. In his opinion, it was just child's play. As long as she was happy, losing a little money wouldn't matter.
It wasn't until some time later, while leaving the court, that his colleagues were all talking about how delicious the food there was and that they would hold banquets there in the future. Only then did he suddenly realize that perhaps his daughter was truly making money.
Out of curiosity, when he was invited to dine by others, he did not decline as usual.
It was not in a particularly prosperous area, yet it was bustling with people. By the time they arrived, it was late, and there were no seats left. The colleague who invited them to dinner was particularly regretful, wishing he had booked in advance. Now, he felt somewhat embarrassed and didn't know what to do.
"Perhaps I can go ask and see if they can make a private room for us," Bai老爷 said hesitantly.
All eyes turned to him. Bai老爷 said sheepishly, "The owner here is a distant relative of mine."